News in brief

WHO reports high rates of drug-resistant TB

Drug-resistant tuberculosis is spreading faster than feared, a new report by the World Health Organisation said yesterday. There are about 500,000 new cases every year. Experts are particularly worried about the spread of XDR-TB, or extensively drug-resistant TB, a deadly strain that is virtually untreatable in poor countries. And they fear a collision between TB and the Aids pandemic may already have happened in Africa, where only six nations reported to the survey. Dr Mario Raviglione of the WHO said: "This shows what happens when you keep making mistakes in TB treatment." Associated Press in London

Fears of fresh crisis as deposed PM plans return

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, deposed in a military coup 17 months ago, will return on Thursday after 17 months in exile to fight corruption charges. Critics warned that the billionaire politician's homecoming could plunge the country back into the kind of crisis that precipitated his fall. Thaksin and his wife face corruption and conflict of interest charges in connection with her purchase of prime Bangkok real estate from a state agency in 2003, while he was prime minister. Thaksin, who owns Manchester City football club, also faces separate charges of concealing assets. Associated Press in Bangkok